The Arrangement

Chapter 29

Du Fen awoke with his cheeks burning hot and blinked blearily. His whole body felt languid and slightly sore, but the fever persisted and dotted his forehead with sweat from the aching need that insisted on flooding his veins.

His lips were swollen from kissing, his hips ached from exercise, and his body felt sticky from the sweat that poured from his skin from the intense hormones which did not seem intent on quitting. It was worse than the last time, and at the same time much better.

This time he had an attentive partner that would stroke his body and massage his tired muscles, inside and out, until he wanted to cry from passionate relief. It was embarrassing how eager his body was to respond to the tender caresses of his new husband.

"Ah Fen... are you awake?" The gruff and sexy voice teased his ears and shot a spike of feeling to his toes with his unbridled response to it. He moaned and turned to bury his face into a pillow instead of replying. His heartbeat quickened as firm hands stroked his sides and he undulated between them.

"Ju... when will it stop..." He panted as his voice broke from its abuse. He felt a cool cloth stroke his forehead tenderly and moaned at the delicious feeling. "I feel... so... gross."

"Ah Fen, let me bathe you then." The seductive voice begged the boy. Du Fen reluctantly nodded his head, desperate to clean himself and unable to do it by himself. He felt the warmth on the bed shift, and almost protested when the weight left his side. "I'll be right back."

Du Fen laid there, squirming a little in discomfort. He felt restless and got up from the bed, stumbling to shaky legs and fumbling about the room in a daze. He held the walls and wandered into the hallway, looking for the direction his husband had gone.

The halls were completely deserted. Not a sign of a servant or guard was to be seen. Du Fen blinked in confusion as he fumbled to wrap himself in a thin robe and tiptoed out of the bedroom. He pushed his tangled hair out of the way and picked his way to the end of the hall in search of the bathing chambers.

At a large set of doors, he spotted a figure dressed in red in the next room through the crack. He peered through, only to find the pacing figure of his mother-in-law. He furrowed his brow and backed away, unwilling to have her see him like this. What was she even doing here!?

"Lord Du Fen? Is that you?" The voice grated on his ears like grinding metal and he shuddered in distaste. He gathered his strength and straightened a little bit.

"You... what are you doing here?" He gasped out. "You shouldn't be here."

"Du Fen, dear, I only came to help you out child." Her snakelike eyes and coaxing words were not reassuring. She held out a tray and he looked at the prepared herbal concoction with a dull sense of longing and distress.

The words of his mother echoed in his ears though. He was not allowed ah! As much as he wanted to end his torment, he had to be strong for the emperor and not fall into this woman's schemes. With a push, he sent the tray to the floor with a crash and glared at the woman.

"Leave! I'll not disgrace my husband for you..." He felt his knees buckle and held the wall. She glared at him and walked forward.

"You think he loves you? You are just a warm hole to shove himself inside. When I find him a proper woman then you will be forgotten, you stupid ger." She hissed, grasping his robe and shoving him to the ground. She stared down at him in disgust.

"Pity. I really thought you had given up." The dark words floated over from the shadows and the Empress Mother looked over in surprise. With a snap of fingers, shadows came forward and took hold of the woman whose eyes widened in fear. "Take her away."